If it rotates
by FoxOnPie
Summary: Those playing Sword Art Online were already having trouble surviving Kayaba's crazy Death Game. They really didn't need for Stands to get involved. They really didn't need for things to get so... "bizarre". For most, this is just adding to the problem. For one Black Swordsman, however, it could be just what he needs to set things right.


November 6th., 2022. It was on this day that the first **«VRMMO»**, **«Sword Art Online»**, was launched. **«10,000 people»** logged into that game, but soon discovered that it was impossible to **«log out»**. This wasn't a **«bug»**. The **«ability» **to **«log out» **was taken away by the game's very creator, **«Akihiko Kayaba»**!

**«Kayaba» **gave all of the players a startling **«truth»**: if their **«HP» **reached **«0»**, not only would their avatars die, but their **«real world bodies»** would also **«perish»**! There was only way for this **«Death Game»** to end: someone would have to defeat the **«Boss» **of the **«100th Floor»**! Even thinking about accomplishing such a thing seems **«useless»** to most, yet the players still fought, all united under the **«dream» **of regaining their lives. Now, exactly **«one year» **since the **«Death Game» **began… their battle shall become much more **«bizarre»**!

**The Sword (1)**

* * *

><p><strong>«Determination of Resolve»<strong>. That was the **«Quest» **that awoke everyone from their slumber at 00:00 hours on November 6th., 2023. The summary was as follows: **«Prove your Resolve in the face of the holiest of men»**. That was all the information being given.

_Any info yet, __**«Argo»**__?_ A player, **«Kirito»**'s **«PM» **read at 02:00 hours.

_None, whatsoever, __**«Ki-bou»**__, _**«Argo»**'s **«PM» **read. _From what the other __**«brokers» **__and I have managed to gather, players on every Floor, even the ones holed up in the __**«Starting Town»**__, are getting this __**«Quest»**__._

_So you're saying this_ _**«Quest» **__has no criteria and be cleared on every Floor?_

_Seems like it. Only other thing I can guess at, based on the description, is that you have to fight a __**«Flag Mob»**__, but the fact that there isn't a specific Floor it can be done on still makes it __**«bizarre»**__._

_Well, just keep me posted._

_So long as you keep paying! ;) _The **«messages» **stopped with that.

_...Well, whatever, _Kirito thought as he fell back against his bed. _Not gonna waste my time with a __**«Quest» **__this annoying. Probably not alone on that, either. Though if it'd still around in the morning, I might as well give it a shot. _Kirito closed his eyes and relaxed his body, preparing himself to return to sleep.

**«KNOCK»«KNOCK»**. But then **«that» **happened.

"?" Kirito had spent the whole day **«grinding» **with high-level mobs.

**«KNOCK»«KNOCK»**. When he finally got around to stopping, most of the good inns in **«Floria» **were filled up, so he had to get something cheap on the edge of town.

**«KNOCK»«KNOCK» **The **«NPC» **at the front desk even commented that Kirito was the first person to request a room that night, so he had the inn all to himself.

**«KNOCK»«KNOCK»**

"Who's **«knocking»**, then?" **«KNOCK»«KNOCK»**. "I'm coming, I'm coming." Ignoring his desire to just go to sleep, Kirito got off the bed, walked to the door, and opened it."What do... you… want…?"

* * *

><p>When you spend a year in a <strong>«videogame»<strong>, you get so used to seeing things that could never happen in real life that nothing truly **«surprises»** you. Or, rather, nothing is _supposed _to **«surprise» **you. Obviously, there would be exceptions to this line of thought. The scenery all around Kirito suddenly being replaced by a **«desert»**? That was definitely an exception.

"Wh… What the hell?" That was all Kirito could say about the current situation. Still confused, he opened his **«menu» **to check his location. Oddly enough, he was apparently still on the **«47th. Floor»**, as if the **«game» **was ignoring the **«desert» **he was in.

"This doesn't make sense! How am I still in **«Floria»**?! **«Floria» **is filled with flowers; it's not a **«desert»**! Just what is…!" That was the only explanation. As Kirito **«equipped» **his **«sword» **and **«defensive gear»**, it remained the only logical explanation. The only thing that would make even one iota of sense was that this was the **«Quest»**!

_A __**«Flag Mob»**__! __**«Argo» **__said that the __**«Quest» **__has a __**«Flag Mob»**__! Where is it? Where's the __**«enemy»**__?!_

"Are you searching for me, **«Kazuto Kirigaya»**?"

"!" Kirito turned around and immediately jumped back, for standing right there was a **«faceless» **man with a **«crown of thorns»** and **«holes in his hands»**!

_This must be the __**«Flag Mob»**__. Is it supposed to be… no, wait, how does it know my __**«real name»**__? There aren't any __**«AIs» **__that can do that!_

"Well, then, shall we begin?" That told Kirito that the fight was starting. A name appeared above the **«faceless» **man; it read **«The First JOJO»**. Kirito didn't really care about that, but what truly caught his attention was the **«Boss»**'s **«HP»**; it was nothing more than a tiny sliver, maybe even **«1 point»**!

_Does this __**«Boss» **_seriously _have that little __**«HP»**__?! ...He has to be __**«strong»**__. He must have insane __**«speed» **__or be powerful enough to __**«oneshot» **__weaker players. Can I beat someone like this?_

"Are you **«wavering»**?"

"?" Odd for an **«AI» **to have dialogue like this.

"If your heart is **«wavering»**, **«Kazuto Kirigaya»**, do not fight. Because then, the door to a **«new path» **will be open to you..."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" _What am I doing, talking with a __**«Flag Mob» **__like this? Even if this one feels a little different…_

"Your heart is **«wavering»**… because it is **«broken»**? **«Broken»**… due to **«loss»**?"

"?!" _Is… Is he..._ "You're… You're **«wrong»**! My heart is not **«wavering»**!"

"You lie not just to me, but to yourself."

"That's not true!" Kirito, his heart enraged, pointed his sword at **«The First JOJO»**.

"If you believe my words to be false, then strike me down. It should only take one hit."

"If you insist!" Folding his arm with the sword towards his shoulder, Kirito activated the **«Sword Skill»** **«Vorpal Strike»** and attacked **«The First JOJO»**, hoping to end him in one attack!

"If your heart is **«wavering»**, you should not attack. You will not find your **«new path»**… nor will you earn a **«Ticket to Ride»**."

**«Sword Art Online» **was designed to be a game without **«magic»**, the only thing resembling it being the **«crystals»**. **«SAO» **was a **«World of Swords»**, so Kirito had to wonder… just what was this **«wall of light» **that appeared out of nowhere, with **«The First JOJO» **inside of it?!

"I warned you, **«Kazuto Kirigaya»**."

"!" Without warning, Kirito's arm swung around and made his sword slash across his stomach!

_What?! _Kirito thought as his **«HP» **dropped. _My attack not hurting him is one thing, but why did my arm-! _Another **«bizarre» **thing was happening at that moment: the **«cut» **on Kirito's stomach was traversing up his body, decreasing his **«HP» **with every centimeter!

_This __**«cut» **__is lowering my __**«HP» **__the more it moves up my body! I have to use a __**«crystal»**__! _Kirito moved to get a **«Healing Crystal»** out of his inventory, but before he could, **«The First JOJO» **turned to Kirito as **«tears» **appeared on his face. **«The First JOJO» **touched the streak of water on his left side, which somehow gave it solidity and allowed him to peel it off. Then, as if it were a **«knife»**, he used it to **«slice» **Kirito's **«hand» **clean off!

"! Aaaa… AAAAAAAHHH! Dammit! Goddammit!" It wasn't that Kirito felt any pain from that; the **«Pain Absorption» **saw to preventing that. Why, then, did Kirito scream? There was a simple reason: Kirito was **«scared»**. **«Scared» **that all of his efforts would be made **«useless» **from fighting a **«Boss» **that could die in one hit.

"You cry out because of **«fear»**." Kirito had to wonder just how powerful this guy's telepathy was. "What are you **«afraid» **of?"

"..." Kirito was going to die. Frozen, he understood what a frog swallowed alive by a serpent could feel.

"What are you **«afraid» **of, **«Kazuto Kirigaya»**?"

He accepted his death, so as a final act, Kirito would put his heart on his sleeve.

"...My **«friends»**… they all died. I lied to them about who I was… but if I didn't, then **«Sachi»**… **«Keita»**… they'd all still be alive if it wasn't for me. That's why I'm fine with dying; if it happens, then I could use that as an apology to all of them.

"...But I don't want to die, though. Not without a fight!" Kirito adamantly pointed his sword at **«The First JOJO»**. "If I'm going to die, I'll at least take you with me, so come on! Do your worst!"

"..." **«The First JOJO» **raised his hand toward Kirito. **«The Black Swordsman» **mentally readied himself for a final attack, but it never came, What _did _happen, though, was the cut made earlier vanished, stopping Kirito's **«HP» **from dropping all the way to zero.

"?" _What's he doing now? _

"**«Kazuto Kirigaya»**, you have **«Resolve»**. You are worthy of this **«power»**." **«The First JOJO»** raised his right hand and put it on his chest. Then, as if it were water, his hand sunk deep into it.

_What is he-?! _Kirito's eyes widened when he saw what happened next: **«The First JOJO» **pulled his hand out of his chest to reveal that it was holding his **«heart»**! Before Kirito could react, the **«Flag Mob» **shoved the **«heart» **straight into his **«chest»**!

"!" Even though nothing had been done to the game's **«Pain Absorption» **mechanic, Kirito felt an incredible surge of **«pain»**! It felt like someone hooked a pair of jumper cables to his chest!

"**«Everything is circular...» «If it rotates...»**" That was the last thing Kirito heard before **«THE WORLD»** went black.

* * *

><p>In the hospital room for one <strong>«Kazuto Kirigaya»<strong>, there was only supposed to be the body of the unconscious teenager occupying said room. Right now, though, there was **«another being» **there. This **«being» **was a tall individual dressed in an all black outfit adorned with purple designs; that wasn't too **«bizarre»**. What _was _**«bizarre»**, though, were its gauntlets covered in **«keyboard keys» **and its face being a **«computer screen»**. This **«being»**… was not **«human»**!

"**«KAZUTO KIRIGAYA»**, YOU HAVE HAD YOUR **«RESOLVE» **CONFIRMED," the **«being» **said. "AS SUCH, **«REMOTE ROMANCE» **SHALL GRANT YOU **«POWER»**." The **«being»**, apparently called **«Remote Romance»**, reached into its robes and pulled out a small **«vial» **full of a **«brown liquid»**. It poured the **«brown liquid» **onto Kazuto's body. Whatever the **«brown liquid» **was, it was immediately absorbed into Kazuto's body as **«sparks» **shot out from his flesh.

"**«REMOTE ROMANCE»** IS DONE, NOW. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE TO GAIN **«STANDS»**." **«Remote Romance»**'s body started shaking. No, that wasn't accurate. What was truly happening was that its body was becoming like **«static» **on a screen, getting fuzzy and not being able to be fixed one location. When the shaking stopped, **«Remote Romance»**, too, stopped existing in that room.

* * *

><p>Kirito wasn't sure how he got where he was. When he woke up, he was lying outside of his inn, his health fully restored. There was no sign of the <strong>«desert»<strong>, and no sign of **«The First JOJO»**.

"Was that all a **«dream»**?" Kirito asked himself. "No… it was _way _too real. But how am I still alive? What was with that **«Flag Mob»**, anyway? Really doesn't make… any…" Something caught Kirito's eye: staring at him with a nervous expression, a few meters away, was a **«girl»**. Kirito knew this **«girl»**. The **«short hair»**, the **«beauty mark»**… it was **«bizarre» **that she didn't have her **«right arm»**, but this **«girl»** was undeniably…

"**«Sachi»**…?"

TO BE CONTINUED


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